Harvest Nutrition Blog

Blendtec Coupon Code

 

Blendtec's new Designer Series if OFF THE HOOK amazing!  People are raving about the sleek new interface and super-simplistic design.  Check it out:

Blendtec Coupon Code - If you want to buy one blender that you can use for the rest of your life time, go for the The Blendtec Total Blender, and don’t forget to apply a blendtec coupon code if one is available when you make your purchase.  Make smoothies, ice cream, pina coladas, frozen margaritas, cappuccinos, milkshakes, and much more.  The new Blendtec Wildside Total Blender boasts a larger jar and a 4″ blade.  Take it beyond drinks and sweets and make salsas, soups and sauces.

Here is a rundown of the names of the most popular Blendtec blenders and accessories you've probably come across in your research (some of these have more than one known name/title):

• Blendtec Designer Series
• Blendtec Wildside
• Blendtec HP3A
• Blendtec Classic Series
• Blendtec Total Blender
• Blendtec Twister Jar
• Blendtec Wildside Jar

Buying Hint: Throughout the year, different Blendtec Coupon Codes will become available.  Some will offer free shipping, and others will give a discount off the purchase price.

Blendtec Review:

 Blendtec offers Smoothie Shop Quality – In Your Kitchen.  The famous square jar is used worldwide in gyms, juice bars, smoothie shops, coffee shops, bars and restaurants, all for the same reason: it’s the best blender in the world!  For the same high-quality taste and texture that you’d expect every time from your neighborhood frozen drink bar, get your Blendtec Total Blender today.  Live healthy, and save money with a Blendtec Coupon Code 2012.  Different blendtec promo codes that come out from time to time are free shipping coupon codes, and other blendtec sales, deals, and promotions.

Most blenders can swirl together a decent milkshake, but that’s about it.  If you've read any blendtec reviews, you'll know that when it comes to crushing ice, this is where most blenders fall short.  Enter the Blendtec Total Blender, which comes with an Ice-Crushing Guarantee.  With 1560 watts of power, it will easily turn your ice cubes to snow in moments.

One of the coolest things about the Blendtec Total Blender is its Smart Touch Tec-nology.  Here’s how it works: you press your preferred cycle button, “smoothie” for instance, and the Total Blender will speed up and slow down on its own as needed, then will actually stop on its own when the cycle is complete.

There are 3 different colors to choose from for your Blendtec‘s base: white, black or red.  Select your color preference to complement your kitchen’s style!

People love the Blendtec Total Blender Fourside and WildSide!  The average customer review on Amazon.com and Consumerreports.org for both blenders is 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Here are some features of the Blendtec: Smart Touch Tec – nology, 4 sided square pitcher – almost 3 quarts capacity, vented pitcher lid, 13 amps, 1560 watts of power, 7 Year Warranty, Ice Crushing Guarantee, 7 lbs in weight (total shipping weight is 11 lbs), recipe book, and owner’s manual.

Save money on your Blendtec purchase with a Blendtec Coupon Code.

The Blendtec Total Blender comes with an amazing 7 Year Warranty, with an optional 3 Year additional warranty upgrade.  The 7 year option is ample for most people, though some like to extend it to a full decade.  Whatever you prefer, you’ll be sure to enjoy your Blendtec for many years to come.

Blendtec vs Vitamix? This is a popular question posed by many shoppers who are trying to find out if the blendtec or vitamix is the best choice.  I say, hands down, it's the Blendtec!  And the new Blendtec Designer Series is head-and-shoulders above the rest of premium blenders out there.

Definitely shop directly from blendtec.com to get the best price, service and quality.

A few tips for Thanksgiving...

Look, even the most "devout" of us slack a bit for the holidays.  Here are a few tips to help you maximize your chances for dietary success during the season.

 

1. Drink water before (and during) your meal.  This will help you feel fuller faster.

 

2. Eat a quality salad before eating an entree.  Once again, this will help you to start feeling fuller, and will take up some space at the onset of your holiday meal.

 

3. Skip the rolls.  Rolls, cornbread, etc.  All those heavy, refined starchy carbs will really pack on the pounds over Thanksgiving weekend.

 

4. Enjoy!  Have an awesome Thanksgiving, remember what you're thankful for, and enjoy the fellowship of family and friends.

To your health,

Aaron

Harvestnutrition.com

See how your sugar stacks up...

Ever wonder how many REFINED CARB'S and SUGARS you're consuming?  Here's a cool little site that shows how some food products "stack up" when it comes to sugar content:

http://www.sugarstacks.com/

Most people eat refined sugars throughout the day, intentionally or unintentionally.  That's because refined sugars are added to a MAJORITY of processed, packaged foods out there.  Here's a couple examples:

Remember, one of THE BEST THINGS YOU CAN DO to lose weight and live healthier is to REDUCE YOUR REFINED SUGAR INTAKE!  More tips here.

Always to your health,

Aaron

http://www.harvestnutrition.com/

Improve Digestion, Alkalize, and Support Healthy Blood - Check out this Video!

Watch this:

Wheatgrass powder boosts your energy/immune system, cleanses and detoxifies

Check it out:

Weight Loss with Wheatgrass

Check out this short video for some amazing tips on how wheatgrass helps with weight loss!

Health Benefits of Wheatgrass Powder

Here are some main health benefits of consuming organic wheatgrass powder.

MassMarket Megavitamins vs. Whole Food Nutrition

Should you take Centrum Multivitamins and One A Day's?  What's the difference between low-cost megavitamins vs. whole foods?  Watch this video to find out.

3 benefits of Walnuts

Here's three quick benefits of eating walnuts:

1.  Excellent Brain Food - Walnuts have more omega 3's than any other nut, and research is constantly coming out about the mood-boosting power of these essential fatty acids.

2.  Can help you lose weight - Eating about 4-6 halves of walnuts before a meal can cut your cravings, thus decreasing your calorie intake at the meal.

3.  Nutrient-rich, low-calorie food.  One of the best ways to achieve a healthier lifestyle and lose weight is to eat foods that are dense in nutrients and low in calories.  Walnuts are no exception, with protein, fiber, fatty acids, and a wide variety of minerals.

SNACK OR BREAKFAST IDEA:

-8 walnut halves

-1/2 cup yogurt (whole, unflavored...raw is best)

-handful of blueberries

 

This is one of my favorite snacks.  It's filling, delicious, and great for you!  Try freezing the blueberries, or subbing in banana slices.

To your health!

Aaron

http://www.harvestnutrition.com/

3 reasons to eat Cantaloupe

Here's three quick reasons to eat cantaloupe:

1.  Great source of fiber and water - fills you up quickly, but in a small amount of calories

2.  Helps with weight loss - when you're satisfied with a delicious, all natural snack like cantaloupe, it cuts down on your body's cravings for refined sugar and other junk.  It's a great "in-betweener" snack throughout the day.

3.  Lowers the risk of high blood pressure and stroke, and helps fend off colds.

To your health,

Aaron

http://www.harvestnutrition.com/

"No Antibiotics" on Food Labels; what does it mean?

When shopping for food, it's important to understand the terms "no antibiotics administered / added" and "raised without antibiotics".

 

These are terms on meat and poultry, allowed by the USDA, for producers to ensure the customer that no antibiotics were administered to the animal during its lifetime.  If an animal gets sick, they’ll treat and remove it from the production herd.  Although food producers must give proof in documentation that their animals don’t receive antibiotics, there is currently no verification process in place to tightly enforce this guideline, as of the time of this writing.

 

The term “no hormones administered” can be used on beef when a food producer provides documentation to the USDA showing that no hormones were given to their animals.  It is not legal to use hormones on poultry or pork.

 

Hopefully, that just made the supermarket circus about 1% less confusing for you :) 

Aaron Hughes

http://www.harvestnutrition.com/

What does "Free Range" mean on Food Labels?

   

    The term “free range” on poultry and eggs may bring to mind rolling hills where chickens roam freely and feed on their natural diet, and exist in plenty of space, fresh air and sunshine. The term “pastured” is not defined or regulated by the USDA, and it varies depending on the farmer or producer.  But the term “free range” is also weak because the USDA’s only stipulation is that “the poultry has been allowed access to the outside.”  This access may only be a small pop-open chicken door, and the bird may never see the light of day in its entire life.  Even if they do make it outside, it may be to a pen with a dirt ground, not necessarily grass.  “Cage free” is a similar term, which at least ensures that the chickens weren’t kept in crammed cages all of their lives, unable to even spread their wings.   

    A typical scene at a “free range” chicken farm may be hundreds of birds roaming freely, inside the chicken house.  At least they’re not in cages.  Although, some farmers truly let their chickens roam freely in the field, feasting on their natural diet and enjoying a natural lifestyle, thus producing healthier meat and eggs.

    So, what should you do?  If shopping in the supermarket, it’s still best to choose “free range” or “cage free” over the cheaper conventional poultry and eggs.  Though it may not ensure the food was raised in a perfectly ideal environment, it’s still a better choice.  Any step away from conventional, and into the direction of a more natural, free range or organic food, is a good step.

    Locally raised poultry and eggs from reputable sources where the chickens are truly pasture-raised and can roam free are definitely the best, if available.

-Aaron Hughes

http://www.harvestnutrition.com/

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If you live in or around Hardin County, KY, here's an awesome local source:

Heartland Whole Life Buying Club, Elizabethtown

Contact: Serena Erizer 270-763-9743

heartlandwholelifeorders@yahoo.com

Why Real Milk is sooooo Good

Now that we know why commercial skim milk is soooo bad, let's discover why real, raw milk from grass-fed cows (and goats) is soooo good!

-Cows eat their natural diet of nutrient-dense grasses instead of grains, thus living healthier lives and producing richer, healthier milk

-They have not been given antibiotics, steroids or hormones.

-They live a natural life, raised on pasture, not on a crowded factory farm.

-The milk is WHOLE; it hasn't been pasteurized or homogenized.

-Milk is a Biblically endorsed whole food; it's been consumed for centuries in its real form for thousands of years by virtually every culture.

-Real milk has LACTASE, which is the enzyme that breaks down lactose.  Many lactose-intolerant people do just fine when drinking raw milk.  In fact, over 80% of people in a Michigan study were able to perfectly tolerate raw milk, after being advised by their healthcare professional that they were "lactose intolerant"!

-It's loaded with beneficial enzymes and probiotics, both of which help you digest milk and utilize its full nutrient potential.

-It's full of fat-soluble vitamins A and D, healthy fats, and vital minerals like Calcium.  Your body can properly absorb these nutrients because of the original chemistry of real milk.  (Example: milk fat aids your body in digesting and using vitamins A and D, as well as Calcium.)

-Raw milk is safe.  Modern stainless steel tanks and refrigerated trucks have made any concerns of contamination obsolete.

REAL MILK does the body REALLY GOOD.

For an amazing support to your digestive and immune system, as well as your bones and overall health, drink real milk.

How to find it:

It's hard to find in stores.  Only a few states currently allow the sale of raw milk in supermarkets.

For local sources of farms and co-ops, visit http://www.realmilk.com/.

To order online, try http://www.organicpastures.com/

As always, eat real food, and your life will thank you!

Aaron Hughes

http://www.harvestnutrition.com/

Why Skim Milk is sooooo bad

The other day I was asked the question, "Why is skim milk so bad?" 

So, here's a few reasons why commercial skim milk is horrible:

-Cows are fed grain (not great) instead of grass (nutritionally great)

-Cows are pumped full of antibiotics, bovine growth hormone, and sometimes steroids

-These sickly cows are over-pumped for their milk

-The milk is pasteurized (heated up really fast), which kills the beneficial micro-bacteria and the useful enzymes such as lactase, which helps breakdown lactose (that's why many people can't properly digest milk)

-The healthy fat is skimmed off.  This is not good, because your body needs those fats to properly absorb the Vitamins A, D, and Calcium in the milk.  This defeats the whole purpose!

-The milk is then homogenized, which further alters its structure and damages the proteins

-Powdered milk is often added back into low-fat milks, which is rancid and oxidized, which can produce harmful free radicals in your body, thus potentially leading to chronic disease.

 

Want more reasons?

Check out http://www.realmilk.com/

REAL MILK...It REALLY does the body good.

 

This site will also help you find fresh, healthy raw milk locally.

 

Nothing compares to real, raw milk.  It is perfectly packed with rich vitamins, minerals, enzymes and micronutrients your body desperately needs.  And it's delicious!  I drink it almost every day.

But, if you are going to buy milk from the supermarket, always get Organic whole, nonhomogenized milk.  It's still pasteurized, so the enzymes have been zapped and some of the nutrients are dead, but this is the best option when shopping at the grocery store. 

-Aaron Hughes

More tips for your maximum health...practical advice based on traditional wisdom and true nutrition.

You are what you eat Eats

    I’m sure you’ve heard that “you are what you eat.”  But think about the beef you buy.  What did that cow eat?  Or what about those carrots?  What did they absorb from the soil they were grown in?  Just as important, or even more so than the types of foods you choose to eat, is the quality of that food and how it was raised.  

    Two burgers side by side may look exactly the same, but one has residues of antibiotics and steroids but lacks the important CLA (conjugated linoleic acid that fights cancer and the hardening of the arteries), has less vitamin E and beta carotene, and has an unhealthy ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, due to the cow being raised commercially and being fed inferior grains.  The other burger has no residue of antibiotics or steroids, and has higher, healthy amounts of CLA, omega 3s, vitamin E, B vitamins, and beta carotene because it was raised sustainably, and ate rapidly growing green grasses.  Regarding the foods you eat, what they ate or absorbed is vitally important to your health.

Aaron

http://www.harvestnutrition.com/

Weight Loss Tip

Added sugars will can you fat, and keep you fat.  When your bloodstream is quickly flooded with sugar, your body produces insulin, a hormone that causes fat to be stored.  Added sugars are abundant in processed and packaged foods, and go under many different stealth names.  

 

A Few Pointers:

-Read the nutrition facts panel and see how many grams of sugar there are per serving.

 

-The "grams per serving" include both naturally occurring sugars and added refined sugars.

 

-The "grams per serving" represents how much sugar is in each serving size, not in the entire package. 

Example: a bottle of fruit juice may contain 2.5 servings, so you'll multiply the grams of sugar per serving x 2.

 

-Besides the obvious candy bars, sodas, and sugary snack foods, avoid sports drinks and bottled fruit juices.  These often have as much, or more, sugar than "junk" foods.

 

-Avoid white flour products.  They are very low in fiber, and therefore convert to sugar very rapidly in your body, thus causing insulin levels to rise, and your body to store fat.

 

-Avoid high fructose corn syrup.  This shows up in alot of food products these days.  It's a harmful sweetener that wreaks havoc on the body's metabolic processes.

 

-When craving sweets, grab a piece of fruit...it has sugar, yes, but in its whole food form.  It's packed with fiber, which helps give you a slow, steady release of energy-giving sugar, without drastically spiking insulin levels.

 

-If people simply cut out refined white flour, refined sugar and added sweeteners from their diet, they've already won about 70% of their fight for wellness and weight loss!

Aaron

http://www.harvestnutrition.com/

Flaxseed Oil

Flaxseed oil in its unrefined, cold pressed form is one of the best oils on earth for supporting wellness and helping with prevention.  Everyone should have this health-promoting oil in their kitchen.  It's one of the best sources of the Omega 3 essential fatty acid called Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA).  It also contains lignans, substances known for their anti-cancer properties.

 

Health benefits of Flaxseed Oil. 

-Supports healthy brain function

-Supports cardiovascular health

-Anti-inflammatory

-Anti-cancer

-Antioxidants

-Helps maintain healthy nerves, blood, arteries, skin and hair.

-Promotes hormone and adrenal health

 

Uses.

-Use on salads or in homemade salad dressings

-Mix with yogurt or superfood smoothies

-Sprinkle on steamed veggies

-Don't use for cooking.  The omega 3s within are too fragile for heat.

-Always store in fridge.

 

 

Consider the source. 

The best brand for unrefined, cold pressed flax oil is without a doubt, Barleans.  They fresh press their flax seeds, then air ship-to-order their oils to health food stores and online retailers nationwide, as well as to customers, for guaranteed freshness.  You can find them online or in health food stores.

-Aaron

http://www.harvestnutrition.com

Have you heard of Acai?

There's alot of buzz out there about superfruits and berries like Goji, Mangosteen, and Noni.  Perhaps the newest kid on the block, the acai berry, has been gaining popularity over the past half decade or so, as a leading "superfood".  Lately it's become pretty mainstream, showing up in fruit juices and other products in your local supermarket.

 

The acai berry comes from tropical Brazil, and the berries themselves aren't available here in the US.  Therefore, the acai we have available is in powder (pulp) or liquid form. 

 

Health benefits.  Many experts have hailed acai for its energy-giving qualities, and its antioxidant properties (compounds that alleviate the body's toxic burden by neutralizing potentially harmful free radicals).  Acai also has healthy fatty acids, which can be anti-inflammatory.

 

Consider the source.  If you want to try acai as a smoothie or supplement, Sambazon is the best brand.  They offer single serve smoothies, freeze-able smoothie packs (my favorite), and whole food acai supplements.  They're the first company to  establish a fully free trade, Organic certified supply chain of acai to the US.  Check out Sambazon.com for more info, and where to buy. 

Zola is another good brand of individually packed smoothies.  Beware of acai diet/cleanse websites.  They're often over-priced and of inferior quality.  Many of them have been reported as scams.

-Aaron

More of the worst food products...

Here are a few more of the absolute worst food products on the market.

 

Hot dogs containing nitrites or nitrates.  
A study was done a couple decades ago that showed that children who ate just a few hot dogs (with nitrites) a week had 9 times the normal risk of developing leukemia than children who did not!*  Commercial processed meats are pretty bad in general, but pork hot dogs with added nitrites are especially bad.
 
Non-dairy creamer.
Powdered non-dairy creamer is a modern chemical blasphemy.  It contains things like corn syrup solids or high fructose corn syrup, deadly hydrogenated oils, dipotassium phosphate (a. k. a. phosphoric acid, which can dissolve corrosion on car batteries), artificial sweeteners, and other enemies to your health.*  Appetizing?
 
Cool Whip.
It's amazing that old-fashioned whipped cream from real, raw milk has one ingredient: cream, whipped.  Modern whipped topping products, on the other hand, often are the infamous poster children for the fake food products phenomenon.  They're filled with high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, chemical preservatives, etc.*  Not only do these products disrupt your blood sugar levels and harden your arteries, but they also put a toxic burden on your liver.
 

So, what to do?  Eat real grass fed beef at your next cookout (or real beef dogs or sausage, without nitrites).  Use real milk or cream in your coffee, and skip the tubs or aerosol cans of whipped topping.

-Aaron

http://www.harvestnutrition.com/

My Recent Radio Interview

I was recently interviewed on "The Sharon Kleyne Hour", a radio show featuring natural health experts.  It's about 20 minutes long, and I share my story of falling prey to processed foods, getting well, the characteristics of healthy traditional diets, the danger of refined grains and sugars, and more.  Check it out!

Right-click the link below, and "Save Target As" / "Download Link" to download it to your computer,

-OR-

Left-click to listen to it from your internet browser window.

Real Food Radio Interview (mp3)

-Aaron

I was recently interviewed on "The Sharon Kleyne Hour", a radio show featuring natural health experts.  It's about 20 minutes long, and I share my story of falling prey to processed foods, getting well, the characteristics of healthy traditional diets, the danger of refined grains and sugars, and more.  Check it out!

Right-click the link below, and "Save Target As" / "Download Link" to download it to your computer,

-OR-

Left-click to listen to it from your internet browser window.

Real Food Radio Interview (mp3)

-Aaron

Some of the worst food products...

People sometimes ask me, "What's the worst food choices out there?"

 

Well, here's just a few of the worst products out there.  They definitely don't deserve to be called "food".  Avoid them...and your life will thank you!

 

Margarine, and other low-fat vegetable spreads.  

Don't believe the "Zero Trans Fats" label.  They shrink the serving size to a very small amount, so that the Trans Fats content is less than 1/2 gram, and they can therefore claim "Zero Trans Fats."  Margarine, and anything made with hydrogenated oil, is an express ticket to disease and death.  Avoid it, and your life will thank you! [Go for real butter instead.]

 

Sugary Breakfast Cereals.

Gotta love 'em, right?  Well, even the least-healthy ones out there now have health claims.  These cereals are the essence of the modern Supermarket Circus: there's a bunch of freak shows, and alot of smoke and mirrors.  Don't believe the shallow lies on boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios or Captain Crunch.  These cereals are filled with refined grains, sugars, and inferior, manufactured vitamins.  Best to be avoided.  [Go for traditional rolled oats, or whole yogurt with fruit and nuts for a better breakfast.]

 

Diet Soda.

That's right.  All sodas are bad.  But diet soda is even worse...it contains poisonous artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, that has caused cancer in lab animals.  Plus, it's been implicated in causing more food cravings, thus defeating the purpose of "dieting".

 

Deep fried fast food.

In short...causes cancer, weight gain, wreaks havoc on your heart and immune system.  Chicken McNuggets, anyone?

 

Invest in your health, and your life will thank you!